WASHINGTON, D.C. – The House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health, and Human Services and Education (LHHS) today approved funding legislation for federal agencies under its jurisdiction for the next fiscal year. The bill contains a total of $176.4 billion in discretionary funding – which is more than $13 billion over last year’s level of $163.3 billion. Appropriations Ranking Republican Jerry Lewis opposed the legislation, saying that the nation cannot afford rapid spending increases like those approved by subcommittee Democrats today.

“This bill is a clear representation of the problem of out-of-control spending in Washington. Our country is $13 trillion in debt, we have a $1.5 trillion deficit for this year alone, we have no budget, and there is no plan to put our nation on a sustainable budget path. Yet, Democrats continue their push for more and more spending – including a $13 billion increase in this bill over last year – without regard for our dire financial situation or for the burden it will place on generations of Americans to come. How many times can the American people say ‘enough is enough’ before the Democrat Majority will listen?” Lewis said.

Subcommittee Ranking Member Todd Tiahrt also expressed serious reservations with the bill, saying that the spending increases in the legislation are contrary to both the will of the American people as well as the best path forward for the country.

“The reality is that the bill spends, or more accurately, borrows $13 billion more than last year. At some point we need to get this spending under control, set priorities, and fund the ‘need to do’ – not the ‘nice to do’ – programs,” Tiahrt said.

To address some of their concerns with the LHHS Appropriations bill, Subcommittee Republicans offered several amendments, including:

1.) Ranking Member Lewis (R-CA) offered an amendment to cut the overall total of the bill by $31 billion, bringing the spending back to the fiscal year 2008 level. This cut would demonstrate a significant commitment to reducing unnecessary government spending.

The amendment was defeated by Subcommittee Democrats on a vote of 5-11.

2.) Rep. Rehberg (R-MT) offered an amendment (after the failure of the Lewis amendment) to cut the overall total of the bill by $13 billion, eliminating the increase in the legislation and bringing the spending back to the fiscal year 2010 level. The amendment would have shown the subcommittee’s willingness to reduce government spending by scaling back increases in the bill.

The amendment was defeated by Subcommittee Democrats on a vote of 5-11.

3.) Rep. Alexander (R-LA) offered an amendment (after the failure of the Lewis and Rehberg amendments) to cut the overall total of the bill by $6.5 billion – half of the $13 billion increase in the legislation. This amendment would serve as a symbol that even relatively small cuts are important to get the country on a sustainable fiscal path.

The amendment was defeated by Subcommittee Democrats on a vote of 5-11.

4.) Subcommittee Ranking Member Tiahrt (R-KS) offered an amendment to require federal agencies to provide public access to government sponsored, taxpayer funded, published research findings within six months of publication. The amendment was then changed slightly by Chairman Obey to require the report within 12 months, instead of six, and to include only those agencies within the Subcommittee’s jurisdiction.

The amendment was accepted by the Subcommittee on a voice vote.

5.) Ranking Member Tiahrt (R-KS) offered an amendment that would prohibit federal funding provided in the new Health Care law to be used to provide abortions.

The amendment was defeated by Subcommittee Democrats on a vote of 5-11.

7.) Ranking Member Tiahrt (R-KS) offered an amendment that would remove the individual insurance requirement approved in the Health Care law, preventing federal penalties on individuals who voluntarily choose to not have health insurance.

The amendment was defeated by Subcommittee Democrats on a vote of 5-11.

8.) Rep. Tiahrt (R-KS) offered an amendment to prohibit federal funds to implement any new federal regulation or rulemaking that would allow a new, remote electronic voting procedure for union activities – also known as “E-Card Check.” Allowing “E-Card check” could ease prevailing union organizing rules, and could undermine the integrity and democratic standards of the current secret ballot union representation election process.

The amendment was defeated by Subcommittee Democrats on a vote of 5-11.

9.) Subcommittee Ranking Member Tiahrt (R-KS) offered an amendment to prohibit federal funds from being used to subsidize in-state college tuition costs for individuals in the country illegally.

The amendment was defeated on a voice vote.

10.) Subcommittee Ranking Member Tiahrt (R-KS) offered an amendment to prohibit federal funds provided by the State Children’s Health Insurance Program from being used by states to cover costs for individuals who are in the country illegally.

The amendment was defeated by Subcommittee Democrats on a voice vote.

11.) Ranking Member Tiahrt offered an amendment to prevent any individual who had been detained at Guantanamo Bay from receiving any public federal benefit, such as welfare, health care, or job training.

The amendment was defeated by Subcommittee Democrats on a vote of 5-11.

12.) Ranking Member Tiahrt offered an amendment increase funding for the “Race to the Top” education program by $550 million over the President’s request, offset by eliminating the Corporation for National and Community Service.

The amendment was defeated by Subcommittee Democrats on a voice vote.

13.) Rep. Tiahrt (R-KS) offered an amendment to eliminate a union approval requirement for states seeking to use federal funds to provide merit pay to teachers with high performance records. The underlying bill requires that 75% of the voting members of teachers’ unions must vote to approve the use of such funds, before the state can implement the program.

The amendment was defeated by Subcommittee Democrats on a vote of 5-11.

14.) Rep. Rehberg (R-MT) offered an amendment to repeal an onerous provision in the new Health Care law that requires taxpayers with business income to issue 1099 IRS forms to all vendors from whom they purchased more than $600 of goods and services in that year. This provision places huge, unnecessary paperwork burdens on individuals and small businesses, which are especially harmful in this uncertain economy.